Life sentence over prosecutor ambush

An Albanian court has sentenced Plaurent Dervishaj to life in prison over a 2019 organised-crime ambush that wounded a former prosecutor and killed his driver.

Another defendant was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Prosecutors said the attack was planned by a criminal group.

Gunmen opened fire on the former prosecutor’s car on the main road between Albania’s capital, Tirana, and the coastal city of Durrës.

The driver later died in hospital.

The former prosecutor and another passenger survived with gunshot wounds.

Prosecutors said the case was supported by camera footage, evidence from the attackers’ car, encrypted phone messages and testimony from a cooperating witness.

Another man had already received a life sentence as one of the gunmen.